Chapter 9: Preparing for entering the hive second time.

The first two days were brutal. The group trained in hand-to-hand combat, pushing themselves to their limits. Jack was the weakest when they started—his strikes were sloppy, and his footwork uncoordinated. But Zheng and Jie, the most experienced fighters, gave him pointers while sparring. Len, though not as physically strong and with lower stats than Jack, focused on evasion and escape techniques, using her agility to dodge blows rather than overpower her opponents.

On the mat, Jack painted, barely holding his stance after a particularly tough round. "You're getting faster," Jie noted, wiping the sweat from his brow. "But you're telegraphing your moves. You need to be unpredictable."

Zheng stepped in next, fists raised. "Come at me again, Jack. This time, mix it up. Don't let me see what's coming."

Jack tried to suppress his exhaustion. He lunged, throwing a quick jab. Zheng easily sidestepped, but Jack followed with a surprise low kick, catching him off-guard. Zheng grunted, nodding with approval. "Better."

Meanwhile, Zhang struggled with even basic strikes. Despite his size and strength, his movements were uncoordinated, and he often lost his balance. Jie worked with him closely, emphasising footwork and positioning over brute strength. Zhang, sweating profusely, grimaced as he missed yet another punch.

"Zhang, you're too stiff," Jie advised. "Relax your shoulders, and focus on your stance. Power comes from stability, not just muscle."

Zhang groaned but tried to mimic Jie's fluid movements, his frustration evident. "This is harder than it looks."

Len, observing quietly, commented, "It'll take time, Zhang. Just like the rest of us."

By the end of Day 2, Jack had gone from being winded after a single round to sustaining a fight for nearly three minutes without faltering. Zhang, though still the weakest in terms of combat, had shown minor improvements, but his frustration with his own progress was palpable.

On Day 3, the group moved to weapons training. The sharp cracks of gunfire echoed throughout the bunker. Jack, Zheng, Len, Jie, and Zhang lined up, MP5s in hand, practising shot after shot.

"You need to feel like the gun is an extension of yourself," Jie instructed, stepping up beside Jack. "The moment you hesitate, you've lost your advantage."

Jack exhaled slowly, raising the gun to eye level, his finger steady on the trigger. He fired three rounds into the target's head, the recoil now something he could manage smoothly. Jie gave him a curt nod of approval.

Len, practising her quick-draw and shooting while on the move, was the most agile. Her shots were precise, even while dodging imaginary threats.

"The weight distribution of these weapons takes some getting used to," Len remarked. "It affects balance during evasive manoeuvres."

Zheng, as the muscle of the group, favoured heavier firepower. His shots were less about precision and more about sheer stopping power. He wielded the Desert Eagle with ease, its kickback barely affecting his aim. Each round he fired was powerful enough to take down multiple targets with a single shot.

But when he fires rapidly he misses a lot .

"You need to trust yourself, Zhang," Jie said. "Your hesitance is what's throwing you off. Take your time. Precision over panic."

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By the end of Day 5, everyone had made significant improvements in their weapon handling. Jack and Len had become proficient with the MP5s, their reloads swift and precise. Zheng was a powerhouse with the Desert Eagle. Zhang, though still struggling, could now handle basic shots without losing control.

In the evenings, Jack and Jack-B retreated to Jack's personal room, the underground training complex he had designed. The room was spacious and quiet, a sanctuary where they could brainstorm and focus on chakra training without distractions. Jack sat cross-legged on the floor, a leaf balanced on his forehead, while Jack-B paced nearby, deep in thought.

"You're focusing too much on brute force," Jack-B commented, watching as the leaf trembled on Jack's forehead. "Chakra is more about control than power. You need to make it flow naturally, not force it."

Jack clenched his fists, trying to maintain focus. "It's not that simple," he muttered. "Every time I try to focus, my chakra feels like it's slipping away. It doesn't stay stable."

Jack-B knelt beside him, folding his arms. "Have you thought about using your chakra more like a tool? Like... instead of trying to push it all out at once, you let it seep into your movements—little by little?"

Jack opened his eyes, the leaf falling to the floor. "Seep into my movements?"

"Yeah. Instead of trying to release it all at once, try channelling it through your limbs as you fight—like a constant stream. It doesn't have to be dramatic. Start small." Jack-B's expression was thoughtful, mirroring Jack's own frustration with their progress.

Jack considered the advice. "You're saying... less is more?"

"Exactly." Jack-B grinned. "We're Uchiha, right? It's all about finesse."

With renewed determination, Jack closed his eyes again, focusing on circulating his chakra. This time, instead of forcing it, he imagined it flowing through his body, subtly enhancing his strength and balance. The leaf on his forehead stayed steady.

Jack-B nodded in approval. "That's more like it. We'll get there. One step at a time."

In the tactical room, the group also reviewed potential strategies for their mission. Jie laid out a map of the Hive on the table. "Our goal is to clear this place out. Zombies, Lickers, anything we come across. Stick to the plan, and we survive."

Len studied the map closely, pointing out potential choke points and escape routes. "If we get trapped here," she said, "we'll need a fallback position. Always have a way out."

Zhang, still reeling from his struggles during training, stayed silent, absorbing the information but visibly nervous about the upcoming mission.

The day before their mission, the group gathered in the Light Sphere for final checks. Len approached the console, a hint of concern in her eyes. "We're all going in at full strength, right?"

Jie nodded, inputting commands into the Light Sphere's interface. "For 3 points each, we can heal our bodies back to peak condition."

As the warm glow from the Sphere enveloped them, Jack felt his aches and pains disappear. His muscles, once sore from days of intense sparring and physical exertion, felt new again. He flexed his arms, marvelling at how quickly his body had recovered.

"Feels like we could take on anything," Zheng commented, cracking his neck.

"Let's hope so," Jack muttered, glancing at Zhang, who stood quietly at the back of the group. His expression was tense, unsure of whether he could perform as well as the others. Jack placed a hand on Zhang's shoulder.

"You've made progress," Jack said, offering encouragement. "It's not about perfection. It's about survival. We'll have each other's backs."

Zhang forced a smile but didn't respond.

Later that night, Jack stood alone near the Light Sphere, eyes on the glowing stat screen. He had spent the past week pushing himself beyond what he thought was possible. Now, he wanted to see the results.

Jack's Current Stats Display:

Intelligence: 130 (+10)

Mental Capacity: 120 (+5)

Cell Vitality: 110 (+5)

Reaction Speed: 120 (+5)

Muscle Density: 115 (+7)

Immunisation Strength: 103 (+1)

Chakra Capacity: Equivalent to a 10-year-old Uchiha (+1 Year)

Sharingan: Locked

He stared at the Chakra Capacity stat. Eight days ago, it had been equivalent to a 7-year-old Uchiha. Now, it has grown—though just slightly.

"It's progress," Jack reminded himself. Every time he pushed his limits, his chakra pool expanded, if only by a tiny margin. But mastery over chakra wasn't about speed—it was about endurance.

He looked at the Sharingan section, still locked. The potential was there, but the emotional trigger hadn't come yet. He knew it would likely require a dangerous situation to unlock it, and part of him wasn't eager for that moment to arrive.

"One step at a time." He closed the stat screen and rejoined the group.

As the team prepared for their final briefing, Jack gathered everyone's attention. "Listen up, guys. I need to remind you about something important," he said, his voice serious. "Remember, every 10 zombies we take down will earn us 1 point. But the Lickers—those are the big scores. Each Licker we eliminate is worth 100 points."

Zheng grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Sounds like we should be hunting Lickers then."

"Not so fast," Jie cautioned. "Remember, Lickers are far more dangerous. We can't get reckless just for the points."

Jack nodded in agreement. "Exactly. This isn't about racking up a high score. It's about surviving and then earning points. But keep these numbers in mind—they might influence our strategy if we're in a tight spot."

Zhang, who had been quiet throughout most of the preparations, spoke up. "So... we should prioritise Lickers if we can take them down safely?"

"That's right," Jack confirmed. "But safety first. Always."

With this final piece of information, the team felt more prepared for what lay ahead. They knew the stakes, the risks, and the potential rewards. Now, all that remained was to face the horrors of the Hive.

The team materialised inside the Hive's control room, and immediately, the stench of death filled the air. The bodies of the machinery team members

who were killed on their first encounter lay rotting on the floor. It was time to begin their mission in earnest.